(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of manufacturing automotive vehicles and more specifically vehicle doors, together with fittings.
(2) Description of Related Art
Nowadays, the vehicle doors typically comprise an outer door panel, often made of metal, and an inner trimming panel often provided with decorative covering made of plastic material and/or of a skin surface (leather, fabrics, . . . ). Functional elements adapted for providing the vehicle door with all its technical functions are typically interposed (at least partially) between the outer door panel and the inner trimming panel. These functional elements can comprise a window-lift mechanism.
Specifically, in WO-A-94/03341 is disclosed an assembly comprising:
an outer panel lined with an inner door panel having a wall and at least one opening,
a rigid base door trim panel covered with a decorative covering, the rigid base door trim panel being fixed to the inner door panel and being disposed in front of the opening thereof, the rigid base door trim panel locally integrating a cup-shaped housing having a wall showing an outer convex face protruding towards the vehicle door and an inner concave face, opened towards the decorative covering and covered thereby, and
a window lift mechanism partially received within the cup-shaped housing and connected to the vehicle door, the window lift mechanism comprising a rotative drum for lifting or lowering the window.
However, the rigid door trim panel typically does not integrate a large enough number of technical functions, what increases the time for fitting up the door assembly, and the number of assembling elements (rivets, clips, . . . ). The manufacturing costs are increased and the productive capacity is lowered.
The invention intends to provide a technical solution which at least mitigates, or solves, the above-mentioned drawbacks.
According to one aspect, the assembly of the invention is characterized in that the rotative drum is rotatively fitted within a cup-shaped wall of the inner panel.
Another object of the invention is to make the assembling operation easier and increase the reliability and compactness of the assembly.
So, according to another aspect of the invention, the drum is removably fixed to the rigid base door trim panel within the cup-shaped housing, the drum being further connected to driving means interposed between the rigid base door trim panel and the decorative covering, and, the fixation between the drum and the rigid base door trim panel is mechanically stronger than the connection between the drum and the driving means, so that the driving means can be separated from the drum, while keeping the drum and the rigid base door trim panel fixed to each other.
Further, the wall of the cup-shaped housing is preferably provided with snapping tongues protruding from the inner concave face of said cup-shaped housing, the snapping tongues being engaged in a groove of the drum for snapping the drum within the cup-shaped housing.
For improving the movement of lifting and lowering the window, while having a smoothly movement thereof, the cup-shaped housing of the rigid base door trim panel portion is provided with channels (or pipes) receiving hollow tubes through which a driving cable is disposed, for lifting or lowering the window, each cable having an end connected to the drum through passages provided through the walls of the cup-shaped housing and the inner panel.
For having at one and the same time a smooth movement of the window and compensating possible axial deformation of the driving cables, the tubes are interposed between the inner panel and the outer panel of the vehicle door, and said one end of the tubes is provided with spring means for adjusting the position of the tube along the cable disposed therein.
A further object of the invention is to reduce the vibrations of the driving motor used for lifting and lowering the window. Therefore:
the window lift mechanism preferably comprises a drum connected to driving means fixed to the inner panel through the rigid base door trim panel and interposed between the decorative covering and the rigid base door trim panel,
said driving means comprises a motor having a driving shaft passing through a central hole of the drum and engaging said drum for rotating it, and,
the wall of the inner panel has a central hole within which the driving shaft is engaged for centering said driving shaft.
Furthermore, the invention intends to make the access to the cup-shaped housing and the fitting of the drum easier.
For that purpose, the rigid base door trim panel and the decorative covering are preferably manufactured as two distinct elements made of plastic material and fixed to each other, while keeping therebetween a space receiving a part of the window-lift mechanism.